The present invention relates to a driving assistance device that can be used to assist a driver in positioning a vehicle within a lane of traffic.
Maintaining a vehicle in a proper and safe position in a lane of a road can be very difficult, especially when the vehicle is a semi-trailer having a long trailer. Although vehicles are equipped with a rear view mirror and side mirrors, it can sometimes be difficult for the driver to take his line of vision away from the road in front of the driver to look at the mirrors. In the semi-trailer situation, the driver of the semi-trailer sometimes does not even have a rear view mirror. Positioning the vehicle can be even more difficult when the road is under construction because the lanes are usually more narrow in this situation and the driver of the vehicle typically does not have enough time to look into the mirrors to determine his position.
Accordingly, an apparatus for assisting a driver of a vehicle in maintaining the vehicle in the proper position on the road is desired.
The present invention comprises a driving assistance device including a housing with a left rod, a center rod and a right rod extending from the housing. When the right rod overlaps a lane marker of a road, the vehicle is too close to the lane marker. The driver of the vehicle knows to move the vehicle away from the lane marker. When the left rod overlaps the lane marker of the road, the vehicle is too far away from the lane marker. The driver of the vehicle knows to move the vehicle towards the lane marker. When the center rod overlaps the lane marker of the road, the vehicle is in the proper position.
Accordingly, the driving assistance device of the present invention allows a driver of the vehicle to know the position of the vehicle in the road. Furthermore, the driver of the vehicle will know in what direction to move to vehicle if the vehicle is not in the proper position on the road. The driver will know where the vehicle is positioned and where to move the vehicle without looking in any of the mirrors on the vehicle. The driving assistance device is efficient in use, economical to manufacture, capable of a long operable life, and particularly adapted for the proposed use.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.